Sensing/actuating materials made from carbon nanotube polymer composites and methods for making same

ABSTRACT

An electroactive sensing or actuating material comprises a composite made from a polymer with polarizable moieties and an effective amount of carbon nanotubes incorporated in the polymer for a predetermined electomechanical operation of the composite when such composite is affected by an external stimulus. In another embodiment, the composite comprises a third component of micro-sized to nano-sized particles of an electroactive ceramic that is also incorporated in the polymer matrix. The method for making the three-phase composite comprises either incorporating the carbon nanotubes in the polymer matrix before incorporation of the particles of ceramic or mixing the carbon nanotubes and particles of ceramic together in a solution before incorporation in the polymer matrix.

Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119, the benefit of priority from provisionalapplication 60/551,055, with a filing date of Mar. 9, 2004, is claimedfor this non-provisional application.

ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION

The invention was made in part by employees of the United StatesGovernment and may be manufactured and used by and for the Government ofthe United States for governmental purposes without the payment of anyroyalties thereon or therefore.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to electroactive materials. More specifically,the invention relates to electroactive sensing or actuating materials inwhich polymers have carbon nanotubes as inclusions or carbon nanotubesand ceramic particles as inclusions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An electroactive sensing or actuating material comprises a compositemade from (i) a polymer with polarizable moieties, and (ii) an effectiveamount of carbon nanotubes in the polymer that provides forelectromechanical operation of the composite when the composite isaffected by an external stimulus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a graph of dielectric constant as a function of carbonnanotube content for an embodiment of a 2-phase carbonnanotube/polyimide composite of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a graph of resistance as a function of load for an embodimentof a 2-phase carbon nanotube/polyimide composite of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 3 is a graph of strain as a function of applied electric field foran embodiment of a 2-phase carbon nanotube/polyimide composite of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention comprises an electroactive material that providesa predetermined electromechanical operation when affected by someexternal stimulus. For example, the electromechanical operation can be asensing operation that involves the generation of an electrical signalin response to deformation of the electroactive material caused by achange in its physical environment (e.g., changes in noise, vibration,stress, pressure, flow, temperature, etc.). The electromechanicaloperation can also be an actuating operation that involves mechanicalmovement of the electroactive material when the material has astimulating electric potential applied thereto.

One embodiment of an electroactive sensing/actuating (“sensuating”)material of the present invention comprises a 2-component or “2-phase”composite material. The base material is a polymer matrix wherein thepolymer comprises an electroactive type having polarizable moieties. Theremaining component or phase comprises nanotubes incorporated in thepolymer matrix. In terms of the present invention, electroactivepolymers with polarizable moieties include those with asymmetricallystrong dipoles. Suitable polymer classes fitting this descriptioninclude, but are not limited to, polyimides, polyamides, silicon-basedpolymers, vinyl polymers, polyurethanes, polyureas, polythioureas,polyacrylates, polyesters, and biopolymers. The polyimides include butare not limited to 2,6-bis(3-aminophenoxy)benzonitrile((β-CN)APB)/4,4′oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA) ((β-CN)APB-ODPA) andother polyimides with polarizable moieties, and polyetherimide (e.g.,the commercially-available ULTEM®). The polyamides include but are notlimited to odd-numbered nylons. The silicon-based polymers include butare not limited to silicone and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The vinylpolymers include but are not limited to PVDF, PVDF/TrFE (copolymer ofvinylidene fluoride and trifluoroethylene), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), agraft elastomer such as that claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,515,077, theentire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, and vinylcopolymers. The polyacrylates include but are not limited to polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). The biopolmers include but are not limited topolypeptides and keratin.

The presence of strong dipoles (associated with the above-mentionedpolymers with polarizable moieties) have led researchers and industry toattempt to construct piezoelectric sensors and actuators from thesematerials and blends of such polymers as disclosed, for example, in U.S.Pat. No. 6,689,288, the entire contents of which are incorporated hereinby reference.

The 2-phase electroactive materials of the present embodiment usenanotube inclusions to improve the electomechanical response of thepolymer having polarizable moieties. In general, such nanotubes can bebased on a variety of elements, including carbon or other metallic andsemi-metallic elements. However, carbon nanotubes will be describedspecifically in the example. Such carbon nanotubes can be single-wallnanotubes (referred to as “SWNT”), or they can be nanotubes made frommultiple walls, e.g., double-wall, few-wall, multi-wall, etc., all ofwhich are referred to herein as “MWNT”.

Accordingly, the present embodiment's 2-phase electroactivesensing/actuating (or sensuating) composite comprises a selected polymermatrix having nanotube inclusions. In order to produce an electroactivematerial that acts as either a sensor or actuator, it has beendiscovered that only small amounts of carbon nanotubes need to beincorporated into the polymer matrix. The small amounts of nanotubesused in the 2-phase composite materials are defined herein as a volumefraction of the ultimate composite. For example, the volume fraction ofnanotubes in the exemplary 2-phase composite is expressed as “X percentof the volume of the composite”. The value of “X” is arrived afterconsideration of the type of operation (e.g., sensing, actuating) andthe amount of electromechanical motion of interest for a given polymermatrix and given external stimulus. No specific volume fraction ofnanotubes (for a particular polymer) will define a clear transitionbetween sensing and actuating operations. Rather, a general range ofvolume fraction of nanotubes will enable the composite to behave betteras either a sensor or actuator. Thus, the sensing or actuating functionsof the material for the present embodiment can be varied and controlledby the volume fraction of nanotube inclusions.

The above-described embodiment of a 2-phase sensing/actuating(sensuating) polymer composite comprises pure polymers with polarizablemoieties having nanotube inclusions. However, the present invention hasother embodiments. For example, another embodiment of the presentinvention provides a 3-phase polymer composite wherein the threecomponents comprise:

-   -   (i) a polymer matrix wherein the polymer is an electroactive        type having polarizable moieties,    -   (ii) micro to nano-sized particles of an electroactive ceramic        incorporated in the polymer matrix, and    -   (iii) carbon nanotubes incorporated in the polymer matrix.

Prior efforts to improve the electromechanical operation of purepiezoelectric polymers have focused on incorporating variouspiezoelectric ceramics (e.g., lead-zirconium-titanate or “PZT”) into thepolymers to form a composite. However, the large dielectric mismatchbetween these two significantly different types of materials (i.e.,ceramic-to-polymer dielectric ratios on the order of 50:1 or greater)makes it difficult to pole both phases of the composite. That is, theelectric field required to pole both phases is generally much largerthan the electric field required to pole the pure ceramic phase becauseof a large dielectric mismatch.

The 3-phase sensing/actuating (sensuating) composites reduce dielectricmismatch through the use of small amounts of nanotube inclusions. As inthe 2-phase case, nanotubes utilized in the 3-phase composites can bebased on a variety of elements to include carbon and other metallic orsemi-metallic elements. Carbon nanotubes will be described specificallyin the example. The carbon nanotubes used in the 3-phase composite canbe SWNT or MWNT.

The electroactive ceramics utilized in the 3-phase composite of thepresent embodiment can be any piezoelectric ceramic that can be reducedto micro-sized or nano-sized particles while providing the appropriateelectromechanical response, thermal stability and chemical stability fora predetermined application. Such ceramics include but are not limitedto lead-zirconium-titanate (PZT), lanthanum-modified lead zirconatetitanate (PLZT), niobium-modified lead zirconate titanate (PNZT), andbarium titanate. By way of illustrative example, the electroactiveceramic PZT will be specifically discussed.

The present embodiment of the 3-phase composite comprises a selectedpolymer matrix with both ceramic and nanotube inclusions. To produce a3-phase composite that acts as either a sensor or actuator, only smallamounts of nanotubes need to be incorporated in the composite. Similarto the 2-phase composite, the amount of nanotube inclusions is expressedas a volume fraction of nanotubes to the total volume of the ultimate3-phase composite.

Methods for making the 3-phase composite include steps for the nanotubesto be either: (i) incorporated in the polymer matrix beforeincorporation of the ceramic particles, or (ii) first mixed with theceramic particles in a solution that is then incorporated in the polymermatrix.

The three-component nature of the 3-phase composite provides for thetailoring and adjusting of composition and morphology to optimizemechanical, electrical, and electromechanical properties for sensing andactuating operations. The effects of the dielectric mismatch between thepolymer and ceramic are greatly reduced by nanotube inclusions thatserve to raise the dielectric constant of the polymer matrix in the3-phase composite even when small amounts of nanotubes are used. Thus,the amount of nanotubes used is a predetermined volume fraction thatbalances the amount required to minimize the dielectric mismatch betweenthe polymer and ceramic against the amount requisite for providing apredetermined electromechanical operation during a given application.

EXAMPLES

By way of illustration, examples of 2-phase and 3-phase compositematerials in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments will nowbe described. The selected polymer in both the 2-phase and 3-phasematerials was an aromatic piezoelectric polyimide, β-CN APB/ODPA polymermatrix. The nanotubes used were single-wall carbon nanotubes or “SWNT”as they will be referred to hereinafter. The diameter and length of theSWNTs were approximately 1.4 nm and 3 μm, respectively. The 2-phaseSWNT-polyimide composites were prepared by in situ polymerization undersonication and stirring. The density of pure polyimide was about 1.3g/cm³, and the calculated density of the SWNTs have been reportedranging from 1.33-1.40 depending on chirality. The diamine anddianhydride used to synthesize the nitrile polyimide were2,6-bis(3-aminophenoxy) benzonitrile ((β-CN)APB) and 4,4′oxidiphthalicanhydride (ODPA), respectively. To prepare the SWNT-polyimide 2-phasecomposite, the SWNTs were dispersed in anhydrous dimethyl formamide(DMF) that served as a solvent for the poly(amic acid) synthesis. Theentire reaction was carried out with stirring in a nitrogen-purged flaskimmersed in a 40 kHz ultrasonic bath until the solution viscosityincreased and stabilized. Sonication was terminated after three hoursand stirring was continued for several hours to form a SWNT-poly(amicacid) solution. The SWNT-poly(amic acid) solution was cast onto a glassplate and dried in a dry air-flowing chamber. Subsequently, the driedtack-free film was thermally cured in a nitrogen oven to obtainsolvent-free freestanding SWNT-polyimide film.

A series of SWNT-polyimide nanocomposite films were prepared with SWNTconcentrations ranging from just greater than 0.00 percent (e.g., 0.01percent) to approximately 2.0 percent volume fractions. A similarprocedure was followed to make the 3-phase SWNT-PZT-polyimide composites(having similar SWNT concentrations) where, in addition to dispersingthe SWNT in DMF before the poly(amic acid) synthesis, nano-sized PZTparticles/powders were also dispersed in DMF separately and then mixedwith SWNT-DMF and the polyimide precursor.

FIG. 1 shows the dielectric constant as a function of SWNT content for a2-phase SWNT-polyimide composite. Sensing and actuating characteristicsare strongly related to the dielectric properties and a higherdielectric constant material tends to provide greater electromechanicalresponses. The dielectric constant of the pristine polyimide was about4.0. A sharp increase of the dielectric constant value was observed whena volume fraction of SWNTs between 0.02 and 0.1 percent was added tothereby change the dielectric constant from 4.1 to 31. This behavior isindicative of a percolation transition. Percolation theory predicts thatthere is a critical concentration or percolation threshold at which aconductive path is formed in the composite causing the material toconvert from a capacitor to a conductor. FIG. 1 indicates that thepercolation threshold for this material resides between 0.02 and 0.1percent volume fraction of SWNTs. The dielectric constant increasesrapidly up to a 0.5 percent SWNT volume fraction and thereafterincreases moderately with increasing SWNT volume fraction.

In FIG. 2, the resistance of a 0.2 percent SWNT-polyimide composite filmis shown as a function of load in grams force (gf). Resistance wasmonitored using a 4-probe technique while the film was elongated intensile mode under a constant rate of load. The resistance increasednearly linearly with the applied load at a rate of 114 ohm/g. Thislinear response indicates that this SWNT-polyimide composite can be usedas a sensitive strain, load or pressure sensor. The sensitivity can betailored by controlling the SWNT concentration for a specificapplication.

FIG. 3 shows the strain of a 2.0 percent SWNT-polyimide composite as afunction of the applied electric field. The strain increased with thesquare of the applied electric field thereby indicating that the strainwas primarily due to electrostriction with negligible Maxwell effectrather than a piezoelectric response. The strain reached nearly 3% at0.15 MV/m. This result is almost an order of magnitude greater strainsimultaneous with an order of magnitude lower applied field whencompared to commercial products such as PVDF and PZT, as noted inTable 1. A strip of this material demonstrated significant displacementwhen an electric field was applied. Further, the material then returnedto the initial position when the field was removed. This type ofelectroactive response indicates that this composite can be used as anactuator.

TABLE 1 Strain for Electric Field Material Strain Electric Field PVDF0.1% ~50 MV/m PZT 0.1%  ~1 MV/m 2% SWNT-polyimide   3% ~0.2 MV/m 

The 3-phase composite will generally need the step of poling due to thepiezoceramic incorporated therein. Accordingly, Table 2 presents theresults of poling (i) pure polyimide, (ii) polyimide with just PZTceramic inclusions, and (iii) a 3-phase composite material of polyimidehaving 0.1 percent SWNT and PZT ceramic inclusions. The remanentpolarization values, which are indicative of the piezoelectric response,indicate that adding the PZT increases the P_(r) slightly. The P_(r)value increases dramatically, however, when poling a similar content ofPZT-polyimide composite that further includes SWNTs. This resultconfirms that the presence of SWNTs raises the dielectric constant ofthe composite so that it is possible to pole the PZT particles and thepolyimide simultaneously.

TABLE 2 Remanent Polarization Material E_(p) (MV/m) P_(r) (mC/m²)Polyimide 50 7 Polyimide + PZT 50 11 Polyimide + PZT + 0.1% SWNT 50 84

The mechanical properties of the 2-phase and 3-phase composites werealso measured to assess the effect of adding the SWNTs and PZTinclusions on the modulus of the polyimide. Test results reveal thatsignificant reinforcement occurs at temperatures below and above theglass transition temperature due to the addition of SWNTs, although alarger reinforcement effect occurs at temperatures above the glasstransition temperature.

The inclusion of nanotubes such as carbon nanotubes (e.g., SWNTs, MWNTs,etc.) in polymers with polarizable moieties (i.e., pure polymers withpolarizable moieties or ones having ceramic particles incorporatedtherein) provides materials capable of electroactive sensing oractuating. Moreover, such sensing and actuating can be specificallytailored as a function of carbon nanotube volume fraction for a specificapplication. Carbon nanotube-enhanced polymer composites can providegreater sensing and actuating responses at much lower external stimulias compared to other known electroactive materials. Such new materialswill find great utility in aeronautics and aerospace systems.

Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have beendescribed in detail above, those skilled in the art will readilyappreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplaryembodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings andadvantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications areintended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined inthe following claims. In the claims, means-plus-function andstep-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures or actsdescribed herein as performing the recited function and not onlystructural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. Thus, although anail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nailemploys a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together, whereas ascrew employs a helical surface, in the environment of fastening woodenparts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures.

1. An electroactive sensing/actuating material comprising a composite of(i) a polymer with polarizable moieties, (ii) an effective amount ofcarbon nanotubes in said polymer for a predetermined electromechanicaloperation of said composite when said composite is affected by anexternal stimulus, and (iii) micro to nano-sized particles of anelectroactive ceramic in said polymer wherein a ratio of dielectricconstant of said ceramic to dielectric constant of said polymer is atleast 50:1, and wherein said nanotubes are incorporated in said polymerin an effective amount that provides a dielectric constant for saidcomposite that is greater than said dielectric constant of said polymerwhile simultaneously providing for said predetermined electromechanicaloperation of said composite.
 2. An electroactive sensing/actuatingmaterial as in claim 1 wherein said ceramic is selected from the groupconsisting of lead-zirconium-titanate (PZT), lanthanum-modified leadzirconate titanate (PLZT), niobium-modified lead zirconate titanate(PNZT), and barium titanate.
 3. An electroactive sensing/actuatingmaterial as in claim 1 wherein said polymer is selected from the groupconsisting of polyimides, polyamides, silicon-based polymers, vinylpolymers, polyurethanes, polyureas, polythioureas, polyacrylates,polyesters and biopolymers.
 4. An electroactive sensing/actuatingmaterial as in claim 1 wherein said carbon nanotubes are selected fromthe group consisting of single-wall carbon nanotubes and multi-wallcarbon nanotubes.
 5. An electroactive sensing/actuating material as inclaim 3 wherein said carbon nanotubes are selected from the groupconsisting of single-wall carbon nanotubes and multi-wall carbonnanotubes.
 6. An electroactive sensing/actuating material as in claim 5wherein said ceramic is selected from the group consisting oflead-zirconium-titanate (PZT), lanthanum-modified lead zirconatetitanate (PLZT), niobium-modified lead zirconate titanate (PNZT), andbarium titanate.
 7. An electroactive sensing/actuating material as inclaim 6 wherein said polymer comprises polyimide and said single-wailcarbon nanotubes exist in said composite in a volume fraction thereofthat is greater than 0.0 percent and less than or equal to approximately2.0 percent.
 8. An electroactive sensing/actuating material as in claim6 wherein said polymer comprises polyimide and said single-wall carbonnanotubes exist in said composite in a volume fraction thereof such thatsaid predetermined electromechanical operation is a sensing operation.9. An electroactive sensing/actuating material as in claim 6 whereinsaid polymer comprises polyimide and said single-wall carbon nanotubesexist in said composite in a volume fraction thereof such that saidpredetermined electromechanical operation is an actuating operation. 10.An electroactive sensing/actuating material as in claim 1 wherein saidcomposite is poled.